Fish Id...is This A Pike?

[JLeon77]

I caught this in the scioto river in central ohio while bass fishing. I didn't know there were pike I this river. Any thoughts on confirming the species on this? The spots on the fins make me think pike. Sorry he's on the ground, he flopped off the hook after I landed him.

[Jar11591]

Yep, looks like a northern to me. Easy ID between them and pickerel: Pike have white bean-shaped markings on a lighter olive colored background, and pickerel have black chain link markings on a yellowish background. Muskie have vertical dark bars or blotches on the sides. What you have is a hammer-handle northern pike.

[Kayakfisherman]

PIKE

[Crestliner2008]

Looks like a tiger musky to me - a cross between the two species.

[OntarioFishingGuy]

Northern pike

[slonezp]

Looks like a tiger musky to me - a cross between the two species.

My guess as well

[Scott F]

Tiger muskys usually have dark stripes over a light background. The white spots over a dark background tell me it's a pike.

[F14A-B]

Northern Pike....

[edfitzvb]

Well, now you know.... There ARE pike in the river

[A-Jay]

Sometimes identifying juvenile fish can be tricky ~

 

By that photo, I can't say for certain Pike or Tiger

 

But it's not a Bass

 

 

A-Jay

[SirSnookalot]

Sometimes identifying juvenile fish can be tricky ~

 

By that photo, I can't say for certain Pike or Tiger

 

But it's not a Bass

 

 

A-Jay

Sometimes the lateral line will clarify similar related species, different fins too.

[Kevin22]

I see stripes on that fish..... Blow up the image and you can see a distinct stripe pattern. That is a tiger musky. 

 

[Tim Kelly]

Juvenile pike often have a more stripey than spotty appearance, and that northern pike looks pretty juvenile.

[Jar11591]

I see stripes on that fish..... Blow up the image and you can see a distinct stripe pattern. That is a tiger musky.

I catch a lot of small northern pike with that same pattern. It lacks the coloration and pattern of a tiger muskie. The lines on a tiger muskie are much more distinct and the coloration is darker. I've caught freshly stocked juvenile tiger muskie, and there's no mistaking them. That is a young northern pike.

[VolFan]

That's definitely a juvenile pike. Google says there's a population of them in there.

[tholmes]

I'm goin' with  small Northern Pike, aka "snot rocket".

 

Tom

[slonezp]

I'm goin' with  small Northern Pike, aka "snot rocket".

 

Tom

aka "hammer handle", aka "snake"

[JLeon77]

Thanks all, figured it was a juvenile pike